Singapore Airlines
reviews and complaints

September 24, 2008

Customer Services Manager
Singapore Airlines
Changi Airport
Singapore

Baggage Damage and Goods Stolen Report

Dear Sir / Madame

I travelled from Karachi to Dubai on EK 601 on August 16, 2008, Business Class, from Dubai to Singapore on EK404 on August 17, 2008, and final leg of Singapore to Kuala Lumpur on Singapore Airlines Business Class on SQ118 on August 17, 2008. I am also a Gold member of Emirates frequent flyer program SKYWARDS.

When collecting my suitcase ( Tag number EK471777 ) at the KL airport I noticed that t was wrapped in plastic. Initially I thought that since it was raining in Singapore, the airport staff had wrapped my suitcase to save it from the water. However, one of the airline staff asked me to check my bag for abnormality indicating that I had not had it wrapped at the start of my journey.

When he cut the plastic wrap for me my suitcase was in shambles. Its zipper was totally broken. Upon a close inspection of the bag in front of the airline person I informed him of the following items missing from it;

• Sony T-200 Digital Camera
• Prada Shoes – Black
• Barker Shoes – Black

The suitcase was very new and I had purchased it in June 2008 from Malaysia for RM1200. The Sony camera and Prada Shoes were purchased from Singapore for SGD450 and SGD900 respectively. I had bought the Barker shoes from London in April 2008 for GBP200.

A complaint was lodged with Singapore Airlines and a complete explanation was given to them. They gave me a reference number KUL / SQ / 42774 and offered to repair the bag that I refused. I told them to compensate me for the stolen items and have the bag replaced with an equal both quality and cost wise. They took my address and told me to have the bag placed with the reception people for their convenience.

After a few days I received the same bag repaired and left with the reception of my hotel. I called up Singapore Airlines and asked them to have the bag removed and that I wanted an equally good replacement and not the same bag repaired. I also waited for my date of departure to bring this matter to the attention of Emirates and their action.

 
However, on September 21, 2008 I was informed by the Emirates staff at KL airport that it was the responsibility of Singapore Airlines to act on my complaint as they were the last carrier to transport my suitcase to Kuala Lumpur and that I should contact your office.

I am extremely frustrated at the happenings so far as I did not expect this treatment of myself and the luggage from a set of airlines as reputed as Emirates and Singapore Airlines, especially when I am traveling First / Business Class and am a Gold member.

I would appreciate your help in getting compensated for the damage and loss of property.

Looking forward to an early response and settlement.

Regards.

Irfan Zafar
General Manager
Technology Innovation
Sui Southern Gas Company Limited
ST-4/B, Block-14, Sir Shah Suleiman Road
Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi-75300
PAKISTAN

Phone: +[protected] Direct
Phone: +[protected] Direct
Cell #: + [protected]
Fax: +[protected]

Email: irfan.[protected]@ssgc.com.pk

Jakarta, 1 September 2008

To.
Country Manager
Singapore Airlines

Dear Sir/Madam,
This letter is to complain about service I recently received from Singapore Airlines during my trip on August 31, 2008 with 3 (three) important clients:
Flight : SQ 333Z (CDG-SIN) connecting SQ 952Z (SING-CGK)
Passenger Name :
1. Mr. Abiprayadi Riyanto
2. Mrs. Indrasjwari Kartakusuma
3. Mrs. Sita Arvianti
4. Mr. Amran Nasution

Below is the detail unpleasant experience:
1. On Aug 31, 2008, SQ 333 had problem which caused a delay arrived time in Singapore, and we did not received any information accordingly.
2. As soon as the flight landed, we directly went to the Register/Check in desk and then showed the officer our boarding pass. The officer persist that the airlines had took action to rearrange the ticket to the next flight. His reason was because of the delay problem, there was not enough time to do the baggage.
3. I had to explain my concern to him several times that baggage was not problem to us since four of us had an important meeting to attend immediately. We need to go as scheduled.
4. Then we had to go on the next flight. I was quite frustrated. The other three persons are our important clients and we had chosen Singapore Airlines with First Class and Business class to comfort our guests.
I expected a much higher level of service from Singapore Airlines, and I am quite disappointed. Your company supposed to inform the passenger before take any action, specifically when the boarding pass was already issued. I expect both explanation and apologize in written for this unpleasant experience and make sure this will not happen other time, most important to your member (Kris Flyer holder).
Should I do not receive any action from your company during 7 (seven) workdays, I will inform national newsletter about this.

Sincerely,

Abiprayadi Riyanto
Mandiri Manajemen Investasi
Plaza Mandiri Lt.28
Jl. Jend. Gatot Subroto Kav.36-38
Jakarta12190

ATTACHEMENT:

Flight Details:

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1.1KARTAKUSUMA/INDRASJWARI MRS
1 SQ 963Z 26AUG 2 CGKSIN RR1 1905 2140 /DCSQ*LKQ3T8 /E
2 SQ 334Z 26AUG 2 SINCDG RR1 2340 0655 27AUG
3 SQ 333Z 30AUG 6 CDGSIN HK1 1225 0655 31AUG 7 HRS - Seat 21A -
4 SQ 952Z 31AUG 7 SINCGK HK1 0750 0825 HRS /DCSQ*LKQ3T8 /E - Seat 18A -

*dwjqiv«
1.1RIYANTO/ABIPRAYADI MR
1 SQ 963Z 26AUG 2 CGKSIN RR1 1905 2140 /DCSQ*KKUVMU /E 2 SQ 334Z 26AUG 2 SINCDG RR1 2340 0655 27AUG 3 HRS -Seat 12A -
3 SQ 333Z 30AUG 6 CDGSIN HK1 1225 0655 31AUG 7 HRS - Seat 14A -
4 SQ 952Z 31AUG 7 SINCGK HK1 0750 0825 HRS /DCSQ*KKUVMU /E - Seat 12A -

*kiubmt«
1.1ARVIANTI/SITA MRS 2.1NASUTION/AMRAN MR
1 SQ 967F 26AUG 2*CGKSIN RR2 2015 2250 /DCSQ*L7YRJH /E -Seat 18D/18E –
2 SQ 334F 26AUG 2 SINCDG*RR2 2340 0655 27AUG 3
3 SQ 333C 30AUG 6*CDGSIN HK2 1225 0655 31AUG 7 HRS - Seat 16D/16F -
4 SQ 952C 31AUG 7 SINCGK*HK2 0750 0825 HRS /DCSQ*L7YRJH /E - Seat 18D/18E

I flew from Singapore to Tokyo on the new A 380. Flight was smooth, with a heavy landing in Tokyo, wet runway, so just acceptable. As this was a night flight, and our party of 3 had connected from another flight from Phuket, we had not yet eaten dinner when we boarded this flight at 10.30pm, only snacks　on the preceding sector. Changi Airpoｒt food was starchｙ and full of Monosodium Glutamate, so some of us declined. Boarding, after spending several hours at the airport, we were all quite hungry. We had expected a hot meal on the famed A380, and then some sleep, as the sector was just under 7 hours. Dinner came, but in the form of a lump of hot wheat pastry with a thin coating of cheese on it, I guess you could call it a Singapore Airlines Economy Class dinner pizza. We weren't going to raise outr tri-glycerides stuffing down all that starch, so we all settled down to a hungry sleep. We were awakened 2 hours before landing, after only 4hrs 30mins sleep, for breakfast. I strongly suggest that the meal planning department of Singapore Airlines does this trip and finds out that the whole of the next day is wasted due fatigue from such nonsensical meal timings. A decent hot dinner, then a cold cuts breakfast for anybody watching the movies all night.

I've submitted a retro-claim over 4 months ago, which still hasn't processed into my account yet. All my subsequent email enquiries are not responded at all. Their customer services are rather shocking to me - No efficiency, nonfeasance and total lack of basic etiquette.

My complaints have been outstanding for quite a few months and still not been attended to yet. I am so regretful of joining Krisflyer at the first place also because it doesn't reward as much as other ones.

Ladies and gentleman, we will be landing shortly at Changi Airport Terminal 3, we are glad to have you on board with us on Flight SQ317 by Airbus 380 from London to Singapore. Proudly to announce that our Super Jumbo is equipped with the latest Motion Detection Technology, for passenger who is still in deep sleep, be no surprised to expect Splash of water falling from top of the air condition system above you. This is our newly invested Morning Call Detection System.

This is Completely Outrages! How could you expect your passenger to take it that a Brand New A380 flight is experiencing air condition leaking issue? By date I have flown with different airlines (BA, MAS, Cathay Pacific, SIA, Thai Airways, JAL, AirAsia X, AirAsia, JetStar, Tiger Airways) on many combination of different aircraft (A380, A340, A330, A320, B747, B777, B767, B737), SIA A380 is the 1st airline to have lousy maintenance on board!

This issue has never come across when flying with different airlines that operate Airbus Aircraft, never. Even BA fly old aircraft B747, or maybe AirAsia X with their leased 13 years old A330, no such thing as air condition leaking. Looking back at SIA A380, the 1st operator to fly A380, start the London route since March 2008, that is about 3 months old aircraft, nobody can accept that a 3 months old aircraft is badly maintained.

The matter get worsen up when the Green Kebaya Singapore Girl (Leading Stewardess) approach me: Let me see, how badly you get wet. Not much right.. this is the norm, Airbus has this typical issue (air condition leaking issue). Even the passenger sitting next to me quoted to the Green Kebaya Singapore Girl �you should send your engineer to have a check on your air condition system, big splash of water pour on him�. She still chooses to ignore the passenger advice and walk off, even without a simple apology to the passenger for having such a bad experience on flight. Whoever that has a doubt of my word, you are invited 2 sit at Seat No. 53A (Main Deck) to know how badly you can end up with the air condition leaking issue.

I am extremely amazed by the ill-mannered reflected from a reputable airline cabin crew, wondering what the Standard for SIA choosing a Leading Stewardess is. Keeping such Singapore Girl on A380 is the utmost wrong decision, unless SIA do not even concern of losing passengers to the competitive airlines.

Apart from the rude Green Kebaya Singapore Girl, I received poor attention (or shall I say No Attention) along the 13hrs journey on A380. I am in deep curiosity, what is wrong with SIA cabin crew? Upon dispatching the headphone unit, or maybe while collecting back the cup, they choose to Ignore Me!? A number of Six to Eight Cabin Crews that attend to the Economy Class, none of them can see me sitting there? The cabin crew attended to passenger sitting at Row 53B, 53C respectively, but what about me who is sitting at 53A?

Remember that I pressed the Attention Button Three Times, none of the crew attend to me. Finally I hook up my own earphone to the Multimedia Set, forget about getting one from SIA cabin crew. Who knows SIA may collect Headphone Rental Charge upon landing at the airport. A full service carrier cannot even provide the basic service as compare to Low Cost Carrier, this is a big humiliation on you SIA.

Budget is not my concern when come to travelling, or else I would not choose BA for my Europe trip. Thinking of having a try on SIA Brand New A380, seems that this is a wrong decision for switching BA to SIA. Based on this time unpleasant flying experience with SIA A380, frankly speaking SIA has dropped to the lowest consideration list for my next vacation. I am serious about trying up AirAsia X new route to London (Stansted Airport) somewhere in Year 2009. At least AirAsia X cabin crew attends to the passenger diligently on my past Gold Coast trip.

A gentle reminder to SIA Management, you can be the Premier Operator for A380, you can have the best in flight design, equipped with modern facility and etc.. by having the ill-mannered cabin crew with you, notably you are losing passenger to other airline, as of me in this scenario. For sure I am sharing this bad experience on SIA A380 to friends and family. And to remind� a couple of friends of mine who are flying to Japan with SIA A380, think twice. Nobody likes to ruin up the holiday or getting nightmare flying with such problematic airline.

Since this is a complaint letter, I am not going to be too polite. Having heard that Singapore airlines is one of the BEST airlines in the world, I decided to fly Singapore airlines direct from Newark to Singapore. It was the most embarrassing and disappointing experience as a SINGAPOREAN to witness the inadequacy of your staff and policy during my check-in.

I booked my ticket quite a while back (probably approximately 3 months) for my trip on Dec 17, 2007. Since then, I lost my credit card and have to get a replacement from the SAME credit card company. I know that I need to have my credit card during check in to verify, thus I brought my new card along. If you are not aware, in USA, people use credit card often and if you have a replacement card, it automatically nullify the canceled card and usually a new card would suffice for verification since my name, social security and many other information can be verified through the bank. However, when I was checking in, I was told to PURCHASE a new ticket since I don't have my canceled card. I was shocked and disgusted by the fact that I have paid for my ticket via singaporeair.com and now an incompetent staff of yours wants me to purchase another ticket? I told her that when I check-in online, I was informed that I need to have the credit card that I use to purchase my ticket to check in, in which I did. It NEVER mentioned what I need to do if I have a new card from the SAME credit card company with the SAME statement but different card number. However, as a "courtesy" gesture, she would accept a fax from my credit card company to proof that I owned my canceled card. I was rather upset since what she make me go through was not "courtesy" but just lame and poor customer service. FIRSTLY, the ticket was purchase by me with my name from the same credit card company, thus it is already proof that I purchased the ticket. SECONDLY, I called the credit card company and the person from my credit card company talked to her and informed her that I purchased my air ticket at what day for what amount of money. Credit card company won't allow such confidential information given out without my consent. Luckily, my credit card company agreed to fax my CONFIDENTIAL information to ther staff. With that said, for security reasons, I probably would cancel my current card since my credit card information is probably circulated somewhere around already!

That is not the end. I was asked to sign a document that is obviously grotesquely outdated. It was an "irregularity of travel document". Here are the clause:
" I have to acknowledge that:

1) "Singapore airlines has drawn to the fact that I do not possess a valid visa/travel document to the port of destination/my travel document has expired and/or is not valid for travel/health papers are not in order and has informed me that these irregularities have to be put right before the said travel should be undertaken"
2)I nevertheless appreciating the full consequences, elect to travel as scheduled on the above mentioned flight

AND ..."

I make an addendum to the form I signed above since I do have all my travel documents (Passport/Visa/Green card/E-ticket) except for a nullified Credit card that has a replacement with the same name, same credit card company with the same statement, social security...

Being a world class airlines, I am just upset by what I have to go through and I am very confident that I would not travel SIA in any near future after my return flight and would not even encourage any one I know to do so since I am just so embarrassed by SIA and as a Singaporean, that I don't want anyone, especially friends from USA to be subjected to this kind of incompetency.

Dr. Kok-heng Chong

Flt SQ469 - cmb/sin 06th april,2007
BOOKING REF YXADUM
SANCHGODAGEDONA/NILAN PLUS INF

Having booked for a basinet n baby food through my travel agent in Colombo , the following service I received after boarding the flt in cmb:

No basinet was given on boarding the aircraft at cmb. When I requested for one on board, they simply said none was available n refused to make any attempt to make me n my baby comfortable. No baby food was given on board. Assistance offered in sin airport was shocking, upon landing I was kept waiting on the aircraft n was the last to disembark. I was then taken towards the transit area, well away from belt 32 by a SQ ground staff lady n asked to wait again.

After over 45 mins of waiting n no sign of any assistance I inquired from the information counter. They then apologized profusely n sent someone else to assist me with the luggage at which time was no longer on belt 32 n had to be collected from left luggage.

Flt landed in sin at 06th/0720 hrs n I was only able to collect my luggage n clear customs at around 0850 hrs. This sort of service from a reputed international airline is inexcusable, especially for a Mother n baby traveling.

As a Krisflyer member (SQ FREQUENT FLYER SQ8082475869) and considering the trauma myself n my baby have been through, I wish to make an official complain and await your comments.

On 26th January 2006, I reserved on the SIA website from our home in the UK 3 business class seats from Singapore to Auckland for travel on 15th December 2006, at a cost of over S$5,000 per ticket.

When we arrived at Changi Airport two and a half hours before take-off time, we were told that the flight was oversold and that we were to be compulsorily downgraded to economy class. A substantial compensation figure was mentioned by the check-in clerk (which Singapore Airlines subsequently said was a miscommunication), which we rejected; we also declined an offer to travel in first class 24 hours later as our schedule did not permit this. In the event, Singapore Airlines found a premium seat for my wife, but my son and I traveled in a 100% full economy cabin, which was noisy and uncomfortable and which resulted in us beginning our New Zealand trip with a completely sleepless night, not at all part of our plan. At the gate, we were requested (and declined) to sign a form accepting the downgrade in exchange for S$1000 cash in compensation (which is less than the difference in value of the ticket) and an upgrade voucher on that route subject to availability and valid for 12 months – not a sector which there is any prospect of me traveling again in that time (our return trip was from Christchurch, and SIA has no first class on that route). Although they knew that we did not wish to accept the downgrade, at no time did SIA make any effort to negotiate a package with other passengers and the only alternative compensation they have offered is 30,000 krisflyer miles – as I am UK-based, enough for a return economy flight within Europe subject to availability and time-limited, once again not a proposal which has any practical value to me at all. Your readers should be aware that over-selling is endemic on SIA (Mr Gerald Lim who handled our case told us that on his previous shift he had compulsorily downgraded or off-loaded 39 passengers) and that booking early or checking in early is no protection against this mistreatment. They should also be aware that SIA does not follow international best practice (compulsorily in Europe and the US) of negotiating acceptable terms with passengers and that after the event they have shown no interest at all in trying to find a reasonable settlement. Our case is still open.